Mechanism for knitting full fashioned hosiery



Aug. 23, 1932. E. RICHTER 1,873,035

MECHANISM FOB. `KNlT'I'ING FULL FASHIONED HOSIERY Filed oct. s1, 1930 2 sheets-sheet 1 PIE-.1 l FIE IN V EN TOR.`

A TTORNEYS.

E. RICHTER 1,873,035

MECHANISM FOR KNITTING FULL FASHIONED HOSIERY Aug. 23, 1932.

2 sheets-shea 2 Filed Oct. 5l, 1930 IIs--5..

EIB--7..

A YLTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 23, 1932 UNITED sTATEs PATENT oFFlcE EMIL RICHTER, OF WYOMISSING, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO TEXTILE MACHINE WORKS, OF WYOMISSING, PENNSYLVANIA., A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA MECHANISM FOR IKNITTING FULL FASHIONED IECOSIIZRYA Application led Octobervsl, 1930. Serial No. 492,495.

This invention relates to a novel improved means for knitting fashioned fabric such as full fashioned hosiery.

According to the present well known method of making the hner grades of full fashioned hosiery, the fashioning or narrowing of the fabric is effected by shifting or transferring the loops a distance of two needles. This has heretofore been considered necessary in order to produce a perfectly uniform selvage edge to facilitate subsequent seaming,

and on account of the two needle thread carthem from .registering properly, with consequent limperfect transfer and frequent dropping of the loops. Owing to the gummed condition of the silk these resultant defects do not always yield to the numerous tests and inspections given at various stages of stocking completion, and frequently runs are started when the stockings are-subjected to stretching when worn for the first time.

The fashioning marks produced in the stocking by the two needle transfer methodare also very conspicuous, which 'is objectionable.

The primary objects of my invention are, to provide i1n` roved means and a new method of produclng full fashioned stockings in accordance with which the above detrimental conditionsare' eliminated; and thereby to produce a stocking of. better quality and appearance.

In accordance with myinventin, the fashioning loops are shifted a distance of one needle only, and in novel manner, thereby preventing the stressing of the yarn at the narrowing points and eifecting perfect loop 4F transference; also producing a .stocking not subject to defects at the points of narrowing, as above pointed out, and in which thel fashioningmarks are inconspicuous.

The above and other objects will become more readily apparent byV referring to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings of an embodiment ofthe invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a stocking made in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is 'a fragmentary enlarged view of a part of a flat knitted stocking blank, and

more particularly shows the manner in which the loops are transferred and the selvage edge produced,., in carrying out my novel method.

Figs. 3, 4: and 5 are diagrammatic views showing the various positions of `a thread carrier rod and the narrowing rods of a full fashioned knitting machine during one cycle of operation in carrying out my improved method of producing the stocking fabric i shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of certain parts of a well known full fashioned stocking knitting machine-having my improved mechanism applied thereto for carrying out my new method of producing the stocking of Fig. l.

Fig. 7 is an end view of the mechanism shown'in Fig; 6, looking in the direction of the arrow Ain said figure.

In accordance with my new method of producing the full fashioned stocking shown in Fig. 1, the welt 10 is produced in the usual and well known manner on a full fashioned knitting machine. Knitting of the leg part 11 is then continued, as heretofore, except that in fashioning, the loops l2 transferred by the well known narrowing points (not shown) on the narrowing or fashioning rods are moved inwardly a distance of one needle only, at each edge of the fabric, insteadof two as customary heretofore.

One way of accomplishing this, which I have found to be satisfactory in practice,

1 to produce the fabric; 14a, 146 the spindle operated end stops for the rod 14; l5 and- 16 the narrowing rods on which the usual narrowing points are mounted, and 15a, 15b, 16a, 165 the spindle operated end stops against and between which the rods 15 and 16 are yieldingly held by springs, as shown. The spaces indicated by the dot-and-dash lines 0, 1, 2, at the ends of these figures are to be considered as representing distances between successive needles.

Starting with the position shown in Fig.l

3, the narrowing rods 15 and 16 are simultaneously moved downwardly to engage the loops at a desired point of narrowingare then raisedand the stops 15a, 15b, 16m, 161), are moved inwardly a distance of one needle only, while simultaneously with this movement, stops 14a and 14?) are moved inwardly a distance of two needles, as heretofore. The respective parts are shown in the positions reached at the end of the movement just described in Fig. 4. The narrowing rods are now lowered to transfer the loops the shifted distance of one needle, after which the rods are again raised. While `the rods 15 and 16 are being raised, the stops 15a,`1`5b, 16a, 166, are again moved inwardly a distance of one needle, thereby bringing these stops in the same relative position with respect to` the stops 14a and 1412 as'before, and lacingv all the stops in advanced position a distance of two needles, (see Fig. 5) in readiness for the next narrowing operation. This completes the cycle of operation'.

By referring now tothe loop formation of the fabric shown in Fig. 2, itwill be noted that the fashioning or narrowing marks F produced by transferring the `loops 12 inwardly a distance of one needle, are inconspicuous, and that a selvage edge is produced which can be readily seamed. A free loop d is alternately produced at opposite edges of the fabric in the line of loop transfer when the yarn carrier and loops being transferred simultaneously move inwardly from theedge of the fabric. These free loops afford no difficulties inthe later finishing of the stocking and can be readily secured by the seaming operation.

After completion of the leg'part 11 of the stocking fabric the foot part 20 is added thereto as heretofore, and the flat fashioned blank obtained in this manner is seamed as usual, to complete the stocking. `v

It will be noted from Figs. 1 and 2, that not only the fashioning marks F are incon` Y spicuous in the stocking produced according to m invention, but that the courses beyond the ashioning marks F slope off at an angle that makes the variation hardly noticeable.

One form of novel mechanism which I have found in practice to satisfactorily operate the thread carrier rod stops andl narrowing rod stops in accordance with the above described method, is shown in Figs. 6 and 7, which illustrate the mechanism at one end of the machine, and in which the same reference numerals have been applied corresponding with the parts shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5.

This mechanism is similar to that employed for the two needle transfer movements mentioned, and differs therefrom only in that the pawling device for the narrowing rod spindle 26 is changed so as toy carry out the one needle movement already described. This will be apparent by referring particularly to Fig. 7.

Numeral 17 indicates the usual cam on-the` machine cam shaft (not shown) that imparts movement'through a rocker arm 18 to a vertically reciprocative member 19, which carries spring actuated pawls 21 and 22 that coact with ratchet wheels 23 and 24, respectively secured to the thread carrier rod spindle 25 and the narrowing rod spindle 26. Notched disks 27 and 28 are also secured to the spindle lwhich -cooperate with spring pressed stop plungers 29 and 31 to hold the spindles in position after being pawled.

In order to accomplish the successive one needle movements, one active and the other idle, to. shift the narrowing rods 15, 16 as above described, disk 28 is provided with the proper number of notches on its periphery, the distance between successive notches representing a one needle movement of the stops 15a 15b; and the ratchetwheel 24 is provided with a like number of teeth. A second pawl 32 pivotally mounted on the member 19, cooperates with the ratchet wheel 24 at a point opposite to that of pawl 22, and is normally held in engagement with the wheel by a spring 30 secured thereto and to a horizontally movable arm 34. The pawls 21 and 22 are providedwith extensions 36 and 37 which are connected by a link 38 and the latter is slotted at 39 to afford a loose connection to permit independent movement of the pawl 22. A cam 41 is secured to a machine frame element 42, which engages and coacts with extension 37 toretain the pawl 22 in disengaged position when the element 19 isin its lowermost position and to prevent the pawl from falling into engagement with the ratchet wheel 24 during upward movement of element 19 until after one tooth has been passed. From this vit will be apparent that when the element 19 is shifted upwardly to its full extent, pawl 22 will turn spindle 26 suiciently to move stops a and 16a a distance of one needle. During such movement pawl 21 will turn spindle 25 suiiiciently to move stop 14a a distance of two needles, as heretofore. While the element l19 is thus raised and the stops have been shifted as just described, transfer of the loops .takes place in known manner, after which the element 19 is lowered and the pawl 32 coacts to turn the spindle 26 an additional amount to shift the stops 15a and 16a a distance of one needle.

As indicated in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 7, the active end of pawl 32 is so formed that it will pass one tooth before engaging ratchet wheel 24 on its downward movement, and

consequently only rack said wheel a distance of one tooth.

Of course the mechanism shown and described can be changed and modified in various ways to carry out my novel method of making full fashioned stockings, without departing from the invention herein disclosed ,and hereinafter claimed.

I claim ment to said carrier rod and said narrowing rod stops; means associated with the pawl 1. In a full fashioned knitting machine,

the combination with narrowing rod stops, yarn carrier rod stops, and spindles for actuating said stops; of a reciprocative member; means operable by said member in a single reciprocationthereof for simultaneously operating said spindles to move all said stops and impart a one needle movement to the narrowing rod stops and a two needle movement to the carrier rod stops and for subsequently operating only the narrowing rod spindle to impart an additional one needle movement to the narrowing rod stops.

2. In a'full fashioned knitting machine, the combination with narrowing rod stops, yarn carrier rod stops, and spindles for actuating said stops; of a reciprocating member; means operable by said member on movement thereof in one direction for simultaneously operating said spindles to move all said stops and impart a one needle movement a ratchet on said carrier rod spindle a ratchet on said narrowing rod spindle; individual pawls for operating said ratchets; a recipro- -cative member operatively connected to and adapted to actuate said pawls on movement of`sald member in one direction for operating said spindles to impart a two needle move 

